HOUSTON – A high school diploma gives graduates a leg up in the workforce, even if they don’t pursue any further education. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that workers over the age of 25 with a high school diploma or equivalent earned about 25% more than those without one-$853 a week compared to $682. Diploma holders also faced lower unemployment rates, at 4% in 2022, compared to 5.5% for those who never completed high school.